


His One Wish

by rachel_merritt21



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Giving Up, Hurt Jack, Jack Feels, Jack Needs a Hug, no happy ending, not alone at the end, tag suggestions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 05:26:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11776434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachel_merritt21/pseuds/rachel_merritt21
Summary: Pitch confronts Jack after Easter, but it doesn't go the way he thought it would.  Jack has had enough, and all Pitch can do is watch and listen.





	His One Wish

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Deutsch available: [Sein einziger Wunsch](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12051825) by [Queen_of_the_kingdom_in_my_head](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queen_of_the_kingdom_in_my_head/pseuds/Queen_of_the_kingdom_in_my_head)



Jack ran towards the cliff, ready to throw the tooth container into the arctic sea. Closer and closer, only to skid to a stop and lower his arm. Looking at the little container that had caused so much trouble. No, not the container, the container did nothing. It was him, always, it was Jack Frost that caused unimaginable problems, whether he wanted to or not.

All his fault.

Sandy, Baby Tooth, Easter, and then Bunny. All of it. It was all his fault.

“I thought this might happen.” The voice came from behind Jack, but he didn’t turn around. He knew who it was. Fear had always been behind him. In everything he did it was there. Just out of sight, influencing his actions. His fear of never being seen causing him to create patterns in the frost that shouldn’t exist. His fear of being alone making him orchestrate larger and larger snowball fights in the hopes that one of the children would realize there was another among them. His fear of not truly existing causing him to interact with other spirits, spirits who didn’t like him and made it known with harsh words, fists, or even magic that drove him away… like the Guardians had.

Briefly, he thought about how he never noticed his constant fear, but dismissed it. Even fear, no matter how much it had been a part of his existence didn’t want to be close to him. To talk to him. To comfort him. It just wanted to use him and leave him. Just like the Guardians. Just like the children who enjoyed the winter wonderland he made for them, only to go inside and mark the days till summer would drive him away. Just like the moon, who made him and abandoned him until he had a use for the lonely winter spirit.

“They never really believed in you,” Pitch continued with his rehearsed speech. Trying to use Jack’s fear to get what he wanted. “I was just trying to show you that. But I understand.”

No, he didn’t. “No, you don’t.” The words came out in a whisper, but in the stillness of the South Pole, he may as well have shouted. Jack held his staff out in front of him, looking at one of the things that had been a constant in his solitary existence. He pushed the butt of his staff in the ground so it stood on it’s own and took a step back.

“If you did you wouldn’t be trying so hard to get the kids to believe in you again. You wouldn’t be trying to prove to the Guardians that you exist, and have the right to exist.” Jack looked at the tooth container and dropped it at the base of his staff and took another step back.

“If you really understood, if we really were the same… you would have given up long ago.” Slowly, Jack sank to his knees in the snow. “But you didn’t give up, Pitch. You kept trying and planing, and now, now you are about to get everything you wanted.” Jack chuckled softly. “I actually admire that about you. No matter how far they pushed you down, you got back up and kept going. Fear can be truly terrifying in its persistence can’t it?”

“Jack?” This… was not what Pitch expected when he followed the winter spirit. Hurt, anger, resentment, yes. He expected that, was counting on it really. People were much easier to sway when they were being consumed by their own emotions, and Jack was in just the right spot to be converted to his way of thinking. But respect and admiration? No. No one respected what fear could do, especially not the care-free, fun-loving little wisp of winter’s eternal child. That wasn’t what anyone would expect from Jack. And the way Jack was speaking, with resignation, was actually a bit disturbing. It wasn’t right. The idea was as foreign as warm snow, and just as uncomfortable to witness.

Jack chuckled again, staring out past his staff to the unending ocean before him. This was a good enough spot. “You’re so much stronger than me. You keep going and going. Like that annoying pink bunny. But me, I’m done. I just… I can’t anymore.” Jack wrapped his arms around himself in a sad parody of a hug. “300 years may not seem like that much to you or the others, but that’s my entire life and I’ve spent it all alone. And I’ve finally realized that no matter what I do I will always be alone.”

Saying that, Jack let himself fall sideways into the snow, pulling his legs up as close to his chest as they could get with his arms in the way from still being wrapped around him. Pitch finally moved, coming closer to Jack until he stood over the boy. But Jack still didn’t acknowledge him, staring out into the distant sea.

That’s when Pitch noticed the pale child was starting the blend in with the snow around him. Even his clothes were turning a snowy white. Jack may have been joking a bit about Pitch’s age, but the fact was that Pitch was indeed old. And had witnessed the end of several spirits in his long life. Some by his own hand, and some, like Jack, from giving up. They would become one with whatever they represented and lose all identity they once had. Jack would become a pile of snow to be swept up in the wind and forgotten in time. Just like many before him and many after him.

It was strange then, when instead of continuing to whiten, he started to become transparent. Not snow then, perhaps ice? It would be closer to the frost that was his namesake.

“Please,” The voice actually startled Pitch, so caught up in observing the tragedy that was happening to the small spirit before him that he hadn’t noticed Jack’s eyes turning towards him. They were ice clear like the rest of him, seemingly blind as Pitch was almost unable to distinguish just where Jack was looking. But Pitch could tell Jack was looking right at him. More a feeling than by observing Jack’s eyes really. “Please, will you stay with me for a few minutes? I’m… I’m scared.”

Now Pitch was a cold hearted bastard. Always had been since his creation, always would be until he was no more. “As you should be,” He said to the fading winter child. “I’m here after all. Everyone should be afraid when I’m around.” But even he could offer comfort to one he identified with so well.

Jack actually managed a weak chuckle at the lame attempt of a joke. Pitch wasn’t so bad, not really. But Jack still didn’t agree on how Pitch had chosen to regain belief. Jack could admire Pitch to the end for how far he was willing to go, but that didn’t mean he supported it. Not that what he thought would matter anymore. He was so close to being gone.

Jack looked back out to the sea. His body nearly solid ice now, only still moving due to the fading magic Jack possessed. “It’s almost funny, you know? I was alone when I was made, I was alone for 300 years, but now that I’m dying, or whatever’s happening to me, I’m not alone anymore. Don’t you think it’s funny Pitch? I finally got what I wanted.” A sad smile graced Jack’s face as a tear slipped across his nose and towards the snow beneath him. Freezing before it touched and leaving the crystal trail for all who would happen upon him to see.

“Yes, I suppose it is a tad humorous when you think about it.” Pitch looked at the child with what was almost pity. The moon had really done a number on the child. He stood there in silence as Jack’s magic became weaker and weaker, until it was no more. Pitch considered the ice sculpture that was once the spirit Jack Frost and sighed. Eyes closed, facing the ocean, single frozen trail ending in the forever crystalized tear on the side of Jack’s face. It was a heartbreaking sight for those who had a heart.

Pitch stood, looking out at the ocean that had captivated Jack’s last moments. Thoughts slowly returning to the task at hand. He still had to ensue that all the lights went out. He was so close to victory, yet could not quite grasp it. Not yet at least, but soon.

As he turned away he heard a tiny squeak and remembered his backup plan if Jack wasn’t willing to join him. He didn’t really need the little tooth fairy anymore. The whole reason he brought her was to bribe or threaten Jack with her. He supposed he could just end her. She had no use to him anyway so there was no reason to keep her around. Maybe he could use her against Tooth, but he had plenty of others he could use instead.

No, this little one was important to Jack. As a last show of respect towards the young winter spirit, Pitch would give the little fairy a choice.  
Pulling the shivering tooth fairy from his pocket, he held her in his palm and with the other hand pointed to the icy remains of the winter spirit she had become attached to. “Jack has finally succumbed to the lack of belief.” The little fairy stared and let out a tiny wail at the sight of her friend and protector. “I have no use for you, but will give you a choice in how you die.” She turned sharply and looked back up into Pitch’s blank eyes.

“I can kill you now and that will be it. Or… you could stay with Jack and slowly freeze to death from the cold and lack of belief. One would be quick and the other slow. What is your choice little fairy?”

Baby Tooth stared at the Nightmare King, uncomprehending of _why_ she was being given this choice. Then she turned and stared at Jack. He looked so alone in the snow. Who would make sure no one came around and smashed him? Who would make sure the snow didn’t bury him from the world. He was gone, she could see that, but she would make sure he wasn’t forgotten. She would be the one to remember him for as long as she existed. She was a tooth fairy, and even though she was just a small part of the large being, she was, at her core, a guardian. She would look after Jack for as long as she was able.

Turning to look back at Pitch, she pointed to Jack’s staff. He nodded briefly and stepped around Jack to place her in the crook of the staff looking over Jack. “If he were aware, I’m sure he would appreciate you choosing to watch over him before joining him.”

Baby Tooth looked at Pitch and gave a small bow to him before settling in to freeze while watching Jack. Pitch gave another little nod before fading into the shadows. He still had some Guardians to get rid of after all. Though, after he won, he might come back to sit with Jack now and then. It was like Jack said after all. Now that Jack was gone, he finally got his one wish of not being alone.


End file.
